


Don't Fear The Reaper

by TWOLF48



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:14:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25253650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TWOLF48/pseuds/TWOLF48
Summary: Say the Greek god of peaceful Death, Thanatos, were to have a demigod child, what would you imagine they turn out to be when they grow up? A mortician? A contract killer? Well how about something that keeps people from dying; a doctor?That was the case for Dalton Wikstrom, who was born cursed in the year 1798, and who lost everything he ever loved when he was 22. He's spent most of his life wanting to save lives, but how many can you save before this realization hits you; Everybody Dies.





	Don't Fear The Reaper

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoy. He's one of my favorite characters to write about.

11/12/1806, New Wales Colony, Australia

"Alright Dalton, show me what you can do" Philip Wikstrom told his 8 year old son as they both raised the sticks in their hands. Dalton proceeded to lunge at his father with his stick, showing some fencing maneuvers his father taught him over the past few weeks.  
"Good. Make sure you keeps weight on your back foot for your base" Philip said blocking each of his sons shots before he went on the offense.  
Dalton was able to block a few of his dad's shots before he lost his footing a little on the way back, and was poked in the chest by his dad's stick, making him fall back onto his butt. Philip laughed a little before he kneeled down and helped his son up.  
"Remember, you should always be aware of your surroundings. And always keep your sword up, or you'll be run through. Understand?" Philip asked his son.  
Dalton) Yes sir.  
"Alright. Good. You're getting much better" Philip said with a smile before he kissed his son's head and pat him on the back.  
Philip) Now go wash up. Dinner should be ready soon and you know what your mother will do if we're late.  
"Serve it to us as she's locking us out" Dalton said laughing before he ran inside.  
Philip laughed also and looked out at the village where his house sat in the middle of New South Wales. He had first come as a colonist almost 12 years ago, and almost as soon as he touched down on Australian soil, he met his wife, Diana, and they were wed within the year. A year later, after his apprenticeship was up as a blacksmith, he received an offer to be a supervisor of one of the penal colonies a few miles away, which he took. From there, he was able to create a nice place for himself and his wife in the village to spend their days and raise children; their oldest child, Lyanna, their middle, Dalton, and their soon to be born youngest child. He gave a content sigh before he turned and walked inside the house. His wife was just putting the finishing touches on her famous beef stew, which instantly made Philip ravenous as soon as the smell hit his nose.  
"If you're all done training my sweet boy to be a soldier, perhaps we can enjoy a peaceful dinner" Diana said when she noticed he came in.  
Philip) Diana I told you, fencing is a very useful skill to have, no matter what field or profession he decides to go into.  
Diana) Doesn't mean he has to enjoy swinging swords at people now does it?  
Philip) Doesn't seem that much different from last year when you decided o teach him how to sew?  
Diana) That is a useful skill for everyone to have. Besides how many men do you know who know how to do that?  
Phillip) Fair enough. But fencing could be helpful if he ever wishes to defend himself against a bandit or enemy soldier.  
"I will keel over into an open grave if you ever send my baby to serve in that fat bastard we call a kings army" she said walking over to her husband.  
Philip) I would never. But I think we're in agreement that having a variety of skills definitely would not hurt his future. Skills like hunting, agricultural growth, blacksmithing...  
"How to deliver a child" Diana suggested. She was one of the villages two trained midwives, so she was aware of how important a skill that was.  
"Yes even that" he said before he kissed his wife  
Philip) He'll be a jack of all trades.  
Diana) As long as violence isn't the only thing you're teaching him. He's a smart boy. He could help make an impact anywhere.  
Philip smiled and called Dalton in from the backyard, and Lyanna from downstairs. Lyanna was about 12 years old, had her mothers brown hair that become more golden in the summer, and a face that would grow into one of great beauty. She was always very interested in what her parents were doing and always had an opinion on something. Her father always said it was their curse for raising a well informed daughter.  
"Father, why won't you teach me to fence like Dalton?" she asked Philip once she came down   
"Because if she found out I taught both of you, then she would go from bringing life into the world to taking mine out of it" he said nodding to Diana, making his daughter laugh.   
Philip) Alright go to the table.   
She did as she was told and went to sit near her brother as their mother served them both two bowls of her stew. Once they were all sitting, they joined hands and said a quick prayer. Philip looked up at Dalton as he did this to see how he looked. Over the last few months, Dalton had been having strange reactions whenever they did anything involving prayer or religion. His face changed to one that looked like he had a head or stomach ache, and he would become antsy like he couldn't wait for it to be over. Thankfully he was the only one to notice this new behavior, since the rest of the village might be tempted to send him away or punish him for this behavior. Once the prayer was over, he always returned to normal.   
"Amen" Philip said, prompting his family to say it as well and start eating. He looked at his family sitting at the table and smiled. He couldn't be more thankful for what he had.  
___________ 

Dalton stepped outside his house when dinner was over and the table was cleared. He always liked the feeling of the warm night air during this time of year. His father always told him it was cold in England this time of year, but since he had only ever experienced the seasons down here, he never payed it much attention. He looked around his yard and walked around. He heard a small chirping sound coming from a tree and walked over. There was a nest full of newborn birds up on a branch that sounded like they were hungry or just wanted their mothers attention.   
"Thats strange. Where is the..." he thought to himself before he felt a soft object in the grass. He looked down and saw he almost stepped on the carcass of the mother bird, its neck looking bent.   
"Oh no" he said as he bent down and picked it up. When he picked it up, he felt something strange run through his body, and he could imagine the mother bird flying into the tree and dying from impact.   
He frowned and sat down against the tree while cupping the bird in his hands. Why did things have to die? Now these birds were gonna die of hunger since their mother wasn't around to feed them anymore. Why couldn't she be alive?   
As he looked up to see the nest, he felt a warm and tingling sensation go through his hands, so he looked down and uncupped them, seeing that the mother bird had started to move and flap its wings once again. He dropped the bird startled, but it quickly started flapping again and flew back up to its nest to feed its babies. He looked down and thought "Did I do that?" to himself.   
"Might've just been startled when you found it" a deep voice said from a few feet away. Dalton looked around startled and saw a man leaning against his family's fence near the lantern post. He was wearing a deep black jacket that appeared to have a hood covering his face.  
Dalton) Who are you?   
"Relax boy. I'm not here to do you harm. Just noticed you looking at the bird and saw it come alive" he said taking his hood down. He was a young man of about 20, with what Dalton would guess is a handsome face, and a slender but strong build to him.   
"What? Did you think I was death coming for the bird" he asked laughing while referencing the hood he wore.   
"N-no" Dalton said a little nervous of this new man.   
"Don't worry. You have no reason to fear me. My name is Mort. Mort Thane" the young man said producing shiny yellow apple from his jacket and offering it to the boy.   
Dalton got up and approached the man. He had never seen an apple that color before, only red and green, and was wondering how it would taste. He hesitantly took it before he took a small bite. It was much sweeter than he thought it would be, and it had nice velvety meat to it that made it easy to bite into and even better to eat.   
"Whats your name boy?" Mort asked   
Dalton) My name is Dalton Wikstrom   
Mort) Nice to meet you Dalton. How's the apple?   
"Delicious. Thank you Mr. Thane" he said after taking another bigger bite. "Please, call me Mort" he said with a small smile. Dalton smiled back before he heard his mother calling him back to the house.   
"Are you new in town?" Dalton asked   
Mort) I'm a... trader. I'm only here when I need to be.   
"Well, I guess I'll see you when I see you" Dalton said sticking out his hand to Mort, who smiled when he shook it.   
"I'll see you around kid" Mort said before he walked in the direction of the village. He looked back over his shoulder one last time to see Dalton run into his house. He wouldn't be able to see Dalton, his son, for a while, so he made sure to get a good look before he continued.   
He smiled and sighed at the same time before walking over to a cottage and walking in, invisible its residents, who were all mourning the death of their family patriarch. An old man who was there when this colony was first founded. He approached the body of the man, invisible still to his family, and held a hand over the corpse. A small blue and white orb came out of the man's mouth, and it was placed in the pocket of Mort's jacket.   
"May you find peace" he said before walking out of the cottage, a cold chill going through the bodies of every family member of the deceased that he passed.   
Once he was on the street, he took a deep breath and looked around. No one else would be dying here tonight, so he shed his appearance of a young man and started to take his true form. His skin turned obsidian black, his short dark hair grew long and braided on his head, and two large black wings sprouted from his back. Thanatos opened his two golden eyes and breathed a sigh of relief before taking off to collect the next soul who died a peaceful death. There was one certainty in this world that always kept him busy and unable to spend time with his children, and that was the rule that everybody must die.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys liked it. I'd love to hear what you thought.


End file.
